Okemos, Michigan— The Delta Dental Foundation recently honored Dr. Luke Aiura of Des Plaines, Illinois with its prestigious Student Leadership Award for $2,500.
Aiura is a 2017 dental school graduate of the University of Michigan ( U of M) School of Dentistry and was selected for the award because of his strong leadership abilities.

Aiura spent his undergraduate years at Northwestern University on an Evans Scholarship where he majored in history. After graduation, he spent three years working as an English instructor as part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. Stationed in a small rural town in southern Japan, he worked for the Izumi City Board of Education and rotated among 20 public schools ranging from K-12.

During his time at U of M, he was recognized for being a student leader among the dental school community and an exceptional citizen.

He is completing a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System in San Antonio, Texas.

Since 2001, the Delta Dental Foundation has granted an annual Student Leadership Award to at least one senior dental student from the University of Michigan, the Ohio State University, Indiana University, Case Western Reserve University and the University of Detroit Mercy.

About Delta Dental Foundation
The Delta Dental Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization established in 1980, which serves as the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina. The Foundation’s goals are to support education and research for the advancement of dental science and to promote the oral health of the public through education and service activities, particularly for those with special needs. For more information, visit www.deltadentalmi.com.